Child garment for car seat and method of clothing child restrained in car seat

ABSTRACT

An infant garment is provided with an open back for placement on an infant while positioned in a car seat. The garment can include arms and legs, or, alternatively, can have a bunting-style configuration with a closed lower end adapted for receiving both of an infant&#39;s legs. The garment is meant to be placed on a child or infant after that child has been secured within the car seat. The primary purpose is to ensure that the child is suitably warm throughout his or her duration in the car seat.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/504,850, filed Jul. 6, 2011, which is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to garments, and in particular,to an infant garment for use with car seats.

2. Description of the Related Art

Car seats are commonly used for transporting infants in vehicles. Manycar seats are designed for dual usage, i.e. safely securing infants invehicles and carrying infants outside the vehicles. For safety purposescar seats securely restrain their occupants, and in turn are securelyrestrained in the vehicles in which they are mounted. For example, avehicle's passive restraints, i.e., seatbelts and shoulder harnesses,can often be used for removably mounting a car seat. Moreover, somevehicles are equipped with removable infant seats, which can be lockedin place for onboard usage and unlocked for removal and convenientlycarrying the infant occupant. The occupants themselves are commonlysecured with passive restraints provided on the car seat.

A common problem relates to clothing an infant passenger for protectionagainst the elements, such as cold, wind and precipitation. For example,an infant may be placed in a car seat indoors, and then carried outsideto a vehicle. Conversely, an infant in a car seat may be removed from aheated vehicle for transport in cold outside temperatures. Preferablythe car seat occupant is provided with a blanket or coat when he or sheis exposed to cold temperatures, either outdoors or in a cold vehicle.

Difficulties commonly arise in dressing infants for cold temperatureswhen they are already strapped in car seats. For purposes of securelyrestraining an infant, he or she is preferably strapped into the carseat before thick layers of protective clothing or blankets are placedover him or her. Otherwise the extra thickness and padding of coats andblankets can result in compromising the effectiveness of a passivesafety restraint system. Most coats, jumpers and coveralls necessitateunstrapping and removing an infant for dressing with these garments.Blankets can be placed over infants in car seats, but they lack theform-fitting benefits of coats, jumpers and coveralls, such as betterprotection against the elements and freedom of movement whilerestrained.

The present invention addresses these problems by providing an open-backinfant garment adapted for placement on an infant while secured in a carseat.

Heretofore there has not been available an open-back infant garment forcar seats with the advantages and features of the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the practice of an aspect of the present invention, an infant garmentis provided with an open back for placement on an infant whilepositioned in a car seat. The garment can include arms and legs, or,alternatively, can have a bunting-style configuration with a closedlower end adapted for receiving both of an infant's legs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and includeexemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrating variousobjects and features thereof

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an infant garment for car seatsembodying an aspect of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the infant garment.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of an infant in a car seat.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the infant garment partly on theinfant.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the infant garment on the infant.

FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of a bunting configuration infantgarment for car seats comprising an alternative aspect of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS I. Introduction andEnvironment

As required, detailed aspects of the present invention are disclosedherein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects aremerely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in variousforms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosedherein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis forthe claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in theart how to variously employ the present invention in virtually anyappropriately detailed structure.

Certain terminology will be used in the following description forconvenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up,down, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as orientatedin the view being referred to. The words, “inwardly” and “outwardly”refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometriccenter of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof Saidterminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivativesthereof and words of similar meaning.

II. Preferred Embodiment or Aspect of the Open-Back Infant Garment forCar Seats

Referring to the drawings in more detail, the reference numeral 2generally designates an infant garment for use with a car seat 4. Thegarment 2 includes a torso 6 with a back opening 8 (FIG. 2), arms 10 andlegs 12. A two-part hood 14 includes the hook-and-loop hood fastenercomponents 16 a,b located on opposite halves of the hood 14. Similarhook-and-loop fastener components 18 a,b are located on opposite sidesof a throat opening.

FIGS. 3-5 show dressing an infant 20 occupying the car seat 4 with thegarment 2. The infant's legs can be inserted in the garment legs 12 withthe infant still seated (FIG. 4). The torso 6, the arms 10 and the hood14 can be placed as shown in FIG. 5. The hood 14 halves are secured withthe hook-and-loop fasteners 16 a,b.

III. Alternative Embodiments or Aspects of the Open-Back Infant Garment

An open-back bunting-style infant garment 102 is shown in FIG. 6 andincludes a closed, lower end 104 which can receive both of an infant'slegs. This configuration is generally preferable for babies.

IV. Conclusion

It is to be understood that the invention can be embodied in variousforms, and is not to be limited to the examples discussed above. Therange of components and configurations which can be utilized in thepractice of the present invention is virtually unlimited. For example,various materials can be utilized for constructing the garments 2, 102,including fabrics chosen for their weather-persistent and thermallyinsulative properties. Insulation and other linings can also beprovided. Alternatives to the hook-and-loop fasteners include snaps,zippers, drawstrings and various other closure devices.

1. A child clothing garment comprising: a quantity of fabric materialadapted to be worn on a child's body having an upper portion including apair of arm sleeves, a lower portion including a pair of leg sleeves,and a hood including a front opening; said upper portion including afront face and a rear face, said rear face further including an opening;and said opening adapted to be placed over a child while said child isin a seated position, wherein said leg sleeves are fit over the child'slegs, the arm sleeves are fit over the child's arms, and the hood isplaced over the child's head.
 2. The article of child clothing of claim1, wherein said opening is further adapted to be placed over a childwhile said child is restrained within a child car seat.
 3. The articleof child clothing of claim 1, further comprising: each of said legsleeves terminating into foot coverings capable of entirely enclosingsaid child's foot.
 4. The article of child clothing of claim 1, furthercomprising: said hood including a rear opening including a first edgeand a second edge; wherein said first edge includes one-half of ahook-and-loop fastener; wherein said second edge includes the other halfof said hook-and-loop fastener; wherein said hood rear opening isadapted to be placed directly over a seated child's head; and whereinsaid first edge is joined to said second edge using said hook-and-loopfastener.
 5. A child clothing garment comprising: a quantity of fabricmaterial adapted to be worn on a child's body having an upper portionincluding a pair of arm sleeves, a lower portion including a pair of legsleeves terminating in foot enclosures, and a hood including a frontopening; said upper portion including a front face and a rear face, saidrear face further including an opening; and said opening adapted to beplaced over a child while said child is in a seated position within acar seat, wherein said leg sleeves are fit over the child's legs, thearm sleeves are fit over the child's arms, and the hood is placed overthe child's head.
 6. The article of child clothing of claim 5, furthercomprising: said hood including a rear opening including a first edgeand a second edge; wherein said first edge includes one-half of ahook-and-loop fastener; wherein said second edge includes the other halfof said hook-and-loop fastener; wherein said hood rear opening isadapted to be placed directly over a seated child's head; and whereinsaid first edge is joined to said second edge using said hook-and-loopfastener.
 7. A method of clothing a child restrained in a car seat, themethod comprising the steps: restraining a child within a car seat;providing a quantity of fabric material adapted to be worn on a child'sbody having an upper portion including a pair of arm sleeves and a rearopening, a lower portion including a pair of leg sleeves, and a hoodincluding a front hood opening and a rear hood opening; placing saidchild's legs into said leg sleeves via said rear opening; placing saidchild's arms into said arm sleeves, via said rear opening; and placingsaid child's head into said hood via said rear hood opening.
 8. Themethod seat of claim 7, further comprising the steps: providing ahook-and-loop fastener to said rear hood opening; and securing said rearhood opening in a closed position using said hook-and-loop fastener. 9.The method of claim 7, wherein each of said leg sleeves terminates intofoot coverings capable of entirely enclosing said child's foot.